Biography
Born in Australia and Finland, Carolyn Wong and William Du were both self taught artists who grew up among creative backgrounds. Carolyn’s father was in the fashion and tailoring industry. As a little girl she paraded in wardrobes of delicate silk fabrics and the beautiful creations of her father.
William developed his creative skills whilst drawing alongside his brothers who were also self taught artists.
Primarily working with washi (Japanese paper) Will and Caro create stunning art pieces with a story to tell. The focus is on the simplicity, purity and delicacy of working with paper, a dying culture among the technology advancing era.
Carolyn has a fascination with geometry balanced against subtle textures and intricate patterns, while William is intrigued with movement and disorder. Both work collaboratively on designs that evoke calmness yet also tantalizing a magnitude of senses. The inspiration lies behind nature in that it’s design is both deliberate and effortless which is reminiscent in some ways of the life experiences unique to each individual.
Carolyn Wong
Carolyn was born in Carlton, Melbourne in 1986.
Her childhood was spent in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne where it consisted mostly of carefree playing with the neighbourhood children. Her father was in the fashion and tailoring industry which heavily influenced her interest in art and the different Eastern cultures since she was very young.
She was always intrigued by Japanese culture and from this she was captivated by the delicacy in Japanese art. From an early age she invested much of her time in learning the techniques of paper folding and working with washi.
Since the beginning Carolyn was encouraged to develop her artistic talents, in Primary school she was placed in charge of the creative aspect in the end of year school production where she painted all the onset props and was awarded numerous certificates for her works.
Academically she chased after what seemed to be a more stable career in science and mathematics. However would always find time for the occasional amateur painting or drawing.
In 2002 Carolyn entered the Regional painting competition and won an honourable mention, despite receiving no lessons in art.
Despite Carolyn’s intention to pursue a career outside of the art realm it wasn’t long before Carolyn’s artistic talents emerged once more and lured her to embark on a journey of her own.
William Du
William was born in Helsinki, Finland 1985. His family had escaped from the Vietnam war and sought refuge at the Malaysian concentration camps, where they were later offered residency in Finland, the birthplace for William. Another year onwards, the family again migrated to Australia in hopes of commencing a new beginning.
William’s farther was a very poor farmer and the family was very much involved in the teachings of an attitude for appreciation in life. He also came from a family extremely gifted in artistic talents, and with seven brothers and sisters to learn from it wasn’t long before he started experimenting in his own inner artist.
Much of William’s childhood was spent indoors drawing alongside his brothers who were recognized artists locally. It was only natural that William choose to pursue an artistic career and studied Product Design at RMIT, whilst also working as a freelance artist and designer on the side. William also ventured through various employments including world vision and working in Singapore as an attachment for Melbourne as a sales manager for OSIM. The latter influencing William’s “give it a try” attitude.
William is known as a positive and entrepreneurial individual and also in his shameless yet humorous ways. In 2009, he decided to turn his inability to conform as a worker into a business where he can express his own creative perception. He studied Small business management as a pathway to create something from nothing.
Influences
Japanese Origami Art Work
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2011 January
LA Art Show,
with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
London Art Fair,
with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
Solo Show ” My Short Story” at Butler Goode Gallery, Sydney
Group Exhibitions
2015 March
"Colour Spectrum"
Group Show
ArtSHINE Gallery, Chippendale
2011
LA Art Show, with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
19 – 23 January 2011
London Art Fair, with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
19 – 23 January 2011
Solo Show ” My Short Story” at Butler Goode Gallery, Sydney
12 – 22nd May 2011
Art Melbourne 2011, Melbourne
19 – 22 May 2011
JULY
Art Hamptons, USA with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
PV Thursday 7 July
Friday 8 – Sunday 10 July
SEPTEMBER
20/21 British Art Fair, London, UK
14 – 18 September
SEPTEMBER
AAF NY Fall Edition
22 – 25 September
OCTOBER
Art London, UK
PV Wednesday 5 October
6 – 10 October
OCTOBER
AAF Autumn, London, UK
PV Wednesday 19 October
20 – 23 October
OCTOBER
AAF North London
PV Wednesday 26 October
27 -30 October
OCTOBER
Toronto International Art Fair, Canada
PV Thursday 27 October
28 – 31 October
NOVEMBER
AAF SINGAPORE
PV WED 16 November
17 – 20 November.
DECEMBER
ART MIAMI
PV THURSDAY 29
30 November – 4th December
Group Exhibitions
2010
Miami, with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
1 – 5 December 2010
Sydney Art Fair, AUS,
11 – 14 November 2010
Toronto International Art Fair, Canada, with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
PV Wednesday 27 October, 28 October – 1 November 2010
AAF Autumn, London, with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
PV Wednesday 20 October, 21 – 24 October 2010
Art London, UK, with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
PV Wednesday 6 October, 7 – 11 October 2010
20/21 British Art Fair, London, with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
PV Thursday 15 September (day), 15 – 19 September 2010
Open Art Fair, Utrecht, with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
PV Wednesday 8 September, 9 – 12 September 2010
Art Hamptons USA. with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London
PV Thursday 8 July, 9-11th July 2010
Art Melbourne, Australia
Thursday 22 April,- 25th April 2010
Showing all 14 artworks